RIP

Vanilla Ice got pretty emotional, recalling the last time he had a heart-to-heart with Coolio about being a parent ... adding he's put a brief hold on his tour following the rapper's death.

Ice tried keeping it together while talking about their last convo ... and it sounds like Coolio's kids were on his mind the last time they hung out. He says family was a big topic during their chats.

He tells us Coolio was all about positivity ... and was a good friend all this time -- adding he'll be missed.

Ice also says he's taking the weekend off from performing after learning about his bud's death ... because he doesn't think he's in the right mindset to put on a show.

As we reported, Coolio's last performance was with Ice ... coming out onstage with him last week to freestyle during his set. V.I. says he had no clue this performance would be his last -- he was more focused on how honored he was to have such a legend up there with him.

Trailblazing professional wrestler Antonio Inoki, who famously fought Muhammad Ali in a mixed-rules match, reportedly died Saturday at his home in his native Japan.

Inoki died of apparent heart failure after battling illnesses for years and being confined to a wheelchair. No official cause of death has been released.

Inoki -- a legend in Japan -- shot to fame in 1976 when he got into the ring with Ali at the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo. The sold-out fight was shown on a Jumbotron to 32,897 spectators at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York. Inoki badly injured Ali during the 15-round bout, getting in more than 100 kicks to the fabled boxer's legs. Their fight ended in a draw.

Capitalizing on his newfound popularity, Inoki would become the most influential pro wrestler in Japan's history. In 1972, he launched the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Company, promoting some of the biggest matches involving Hulk Hogan, Dory Funk Jr., Big Van Vader and Bruiser Brody. Inoki also pinned Ric Flair in a 1995 match and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010.

What's more ... Inoki was a storied politician who successfully negotiated with Saddam Hussein for the release of Japanese hostages before the 1990 Gulf War in Iraq. And, he worked with North Korea to stop the kidnappings of Japanese citizens in Pyongyang during the Cold War.

Inoki was 79.

Coolio fans flocked to his website after his death to grab some merch ... and the response was so overwhelming, people were met with a big ol' "404 error."

The rapper's merch store was out of service as of Friday morning ... folks were unable to grab Coolio swag online -- instead seeing the message, "Page not found -- Somehow you have come to a page that does not exist."

Normally, a response like this would come up if the page were deleted, or because of heavy traffic. It looks like the latter is the culprit.

FYI -- the site normally has lots of great finds for Coolio fans ... stuff like fanny packs, mugs, hoodies and face masks.

Coolio was busy working up until he died, but there was one opportunity he was super excited about that unfortunately never happened ... he was supposed to appear on one of Nick Cannon's most popular shows.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ Coolio was scheduled to be in Atlanta to film an episode of "Wild 'N Out" on Tuesday, Sept. 20 ... but the rapper was forced to cancel at the last minute.

We're told Coolio really wanted to be on the show, and producers had been working for a long time to make it happen before they were finally able to find a date that worked.

However, a source close to Coolio tells us his travel plans changed at the last minute and he couldn't get a flight to Atlanta that would work for the show's taping.

We're told Coolio was a huge fan of the show and was bummed he couldn't participate. What's more, Valentina Nicolette, who booked Coolio for the gig tells us he was also planning to perform "Gangsta's Paradise" during his time on the show.

As we first told you ... Coolio appeared happy and in good health later that same week, taking pics with fans in a Texas airport ahead of a concert in the Houston area with Vanilla Ice.

Junior welterweight Luis Quinones tragically died on Thursday ... just five days after suffering a head injury during a knockout loss in Colombia. He was only 25.

Quinones was an undefeated boxer (10-0) until his matchup with Jose Munoz on September 24 at Coliseo Elias Chegwin ... when was knocked out with less than a minute left in the fight.

Video of the fight shows Quinones fall down after getting punched ... and he's unable to get back on his feet. He was then taken out of the ring on a stretcher by medical personnel.

It was reported that Quinones suffered a blood clot in his brain as a result of head trauma from the fight ... and was in a coma after surgery. He was declared brain dead on Thursday, but remained on a respirator until his passing.

"Cuadrilatero Boxing deeply regrets the death of Luis Quinones, an exceptional human being, disciplined and who always showed the greatest commitment to this sport," Quinones' promoters said in a statement on Friday.

"We would like to thank the staff at the General Clinic of the North, who during this time did what was within their power and took care of Luis in the best possible way."

Munoz -- who is also his sparring partner -- is devastated by his death ... saying he never thought "a dream could turn into a real nightmare".

Quinones was inspired by Julio Cesar Chavez and left his hometown of Barrancabermeja to become a professional boxer. He made his debut in 2018.

"Boxing is the ultimate challenge there is. Nothing to compare to him," Quinones said in an IG post last year.

"It's to prove to yourself the way you do it every time you step in the ring."

Coolio's sudden death comes as a total shock to fans who interacted with him less than a week before he passed, and they say he gave no indication he was having health issues.

TMZ obtained these photos and videos of the "Gangsta's Paradise" rapper traveling last Friday through the Houston airport, and he was happy and in good spirits as he greeted some giddy fans.

Mika, the woman who stopped Coolio in the airport, tells TMZ ... she ran up to him to get a photo and he was friendly and very happy to take some pics, laughing and being very engaging.

We're told he even invited Mika and her girl pals to come to his show that night in Cypress, TX and they exchanged numbers and text messages -- and Coolio got the women on the VIP guest list.

Mika says she and her friends didn't end up going to the show because it was about an hour from where they were staying in Houston, and now they're devastated they missed that chance to see what turned out to be his last live performance.

TMZ broke the story ... Coolio died Wednesday afternoon at a friend's house in L.A., and his Friday concert with Vanilla Ice in Texas ended up being his last gig.

Coolio went to the bathroom at his friend's place and never came out ... his friend called 911 and paramedics gave him CPR for 45 minutes in an effort to revive the rapper.

Law enforcement sources say no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found at the scene of his death. An autopsy and toxicology test will be used to determine the official cause of death.

Coolio's death has the likes of Snoop Dogg, Ice-T, LL Cool J and Vanilla Ice sadly memorializing their longtime partner in rhyme -- and now a fellow West Coast O.G.'s delivering his own eulogy.

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Ras Kass, who -- like so many in hip hop -- is sharing memories of Coolio, but he's also saluting his mic skills.

Ras and Coolio have several records together ... including one on the late rapper's magnum opus "Gangsta's Paradise," but their relationship dates back before Ras was even old enough to drive.

He admits being a local knucklehead growing up in Watts when he befriended Coolio's longtime partner Bryan "Wino" Dobbs ... who eventually passed his early work to Coolio while Ras was locked away in juvenile detention.

After a stern lecturing to get his act right, Ras obliged and was soon on tour and rocking Lollapalooza while still a teenager!

Ras notes Coolio's hip hop legacy is extra special, considering his brand of West Coast boogie was selling multi-platinum ... at the same time as gangsta rap's popularity peak when folks like 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, and Ice Cube reigned supreme on the rap charts.

He also remembers the good times -- such as Coolio's Grammy Award win for his mega-hit "Gangsta's Paradise" back in 1996.

Rap music hadn't solidified its respect or revenue streams just yet and Ras says he, Coolio and crew celebrated like they had never been there before ... because they hadn't!!!

Ras sends his condolences to Coolio's fam and looks forward to his upcoming project with Havoc and Philly MC RJ Payne ... which he describes as N.W.A meets Mobb Deep.

Eugene Quaynor -- a team captain on the Oral Roberts University men's soccer team -- was tragically killed in a fiery car crash in Oklahoma this week. He was just 23 years old.

The Tulsa Police Department said Thursday it received calls around 10:20 PM on Wednesday about a collision at 71st and S. Yale in Tulsa -- five minutes from the university.

According to cops, Quaynor was inside a silver Nissan at a stoplight when it was rear-ended by an SUV. Cops say Quaynor's car was hit so hard, it was pushed through the intersection and struck a retaining wall.

The vehicle then caught fire with Quaynor inside. Cops say bystanders tried to get him out by using rocks to break the vehicle's windows, but the flames became too intense.

Authorities say they found Quaynor deceased in the car when they arrived.

The Tulsa Police Department said the driver of the SUV initially attempted to flee the scene, but was detained by EMSA paramedics until officers came on the scene.

TPD says "charges against the driver who caused the crash will be recommended to the District Attorney's office" after they said the man "was unsteady on his feet, unable to walk, and appeared to be severely intoxicated."

Quaynor transferred to ORU from the University of Ghana and started playing for the Golden Eagles in 2019. He scored four goals during his first three seasons.

Quaynor played his last game for the Golden Eagles on Sept. 24. ORU announced Thursday it has postponed Saturday's game against St. Thomas in wake of Quaynor's death.

"He was a team captain and known for his captivating smile," the team said in a statement. "Eugene's presence is missed."

"Thank you for your prayerful support of the family in this time of bereavement."

A popular Wisconsin news anchor took her own life ... after sending texts to a friend and her ex-fiancé, revealing the pain she was going through right before she shot herself.

27-year-old Neena Pacholke killed herself in Wausau, WI last month ... in the home she and her ex, Kyle Haase, purchased together back in July.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, cops were dispatched to their residence after getting a call from a friend to do a welfare check -- claiming Neena was "making suicidal comments via text message."

Her text read, "He [Kyle] told me he hates me and will feel like a million bucks once I am out of his life."

She also sent a last text to Kyle -- who broke things off with Neena just 7 weeks before their wedding -- saying, "I`m so sorry to do this to you but I can't handle any of this pain anymore."

Police arrived at her home, heard a noise, followed by the sound of something falling. By the time they entered, Neena had already shot herself in the head with a handgun. Cops found a receipt showing she bought the weapon 90 minutes before killing herself.

Her Google searches the night before also showed her looking up ways to end her life.

Pacholke played point guard at USF from 2013 to 2016. The school's women's basketball team said following her death last month that it was heartbroken over her passing.

Former Dallas Cowboys tight end Gavin Escobar -- who was picked in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft -- has died ... after an apparent rock climbing accident in California.

He was just 31 years old.

Officials say they received a report of two injured rock climbers at Tahquitz Rock in Idyllwild at around 12:25 PM on Wednesday. When they made it to the scene, they say they found that both victims had died. Escobar was ID'ed as one of the hikers -- a 33-year-old woman, Chelsea Walsh, was ID'ed as the other.

Further details surrounding the causes of death were not immediately available. Authorities did say they were investigating it all.

Escobar was a star for San Diego State from 2010 to 2013 ... before he was drafted by the Cowboys. He went on to play four seasons in Dallas -- piling up eight touchdowns.

He later saw time with the Chiefs, Browns, Ravens and Dolphins -- and eventually wrapped up his football career in 2019 in the Alliance of American Football league.

In retirement, Escobar -- a father of two -- had become a firefighter with the Long Beach Fire Department.

The Cowboys, Aztecs and the LBFD all paid homage to Escobar and his family on Thursday night.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Gavin's family," SDSU football head coach Brady Hoke said in a statement. "I know his wife, Sarah, and daughters, Josey and Charlotte, were everything to him. Gavin was a great man, father, son and teammate, and will be deeply missed by all."

The concert Coolio would've headlined in Germany this weekend will go on, and Haddaway says all of their fellow '90s hitmakers are doing everything they can to turn the night into a tribute for the rapper.

The "What Is Love" singer tells TMZ ... work's already underway to make the show in Germany this weekend a full homage to Coolio. He says they plan on showing some throwback pics and playing some hits they collaborated on over the years.

The singer still remembers being blown away by Coolio's live shows back in the day, too ... and he wants to make sure this concert goes down just as the rapper would've wanted it.

Even though it's a last-minute call, Haddaway says singers Robin S. and Crystal Walters already have an open invitation to join him on stage Saturday -- they all were part of the same friend group in the '90s.

These '90s live shows have been going down with Coolio and Haddaway all summer by the way -- they'd already put on more than 14 concerts throughout Europe.

Coolio died Wednesday in Los Angeles ... TMZ has learned.

The rapper who achieved enormous success in the 90s was visiting a friend late Wednesday afternoon when he passed away.

Coolio's longtime manager, Jarez, says Coolio went to the bathroom at his friend's house, but when he didn't come out after a while ... the friend kept calling for him, and eventually went in and found Coolio laying on the floor.

We're told the friend called EMTs, who arrived and pronounced Coolio dead on the scene -- and Jarez tells us the paramedics suspect he suffered cardiac arrest. An official cause of death has not been determined.

Coolio, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr., came up on the L.A. rap scene in the late 80s, but blew up nationally in 1995 when he released "Gangsta's Paradise" for the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film, "Dangerous Minds."

The song reached #1 and stayed there for 3 weeks.

While 'Paradise' became his signature hit, Coolio had several others ... including 1994's "Fantastic Voyage" -- which hit #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 -- as well as "1,2,3,4 (Sumpin' New)" and "It's All the Way Live (Now)."

Coolio was 59.

RIP

"Kenan & Kel" star Kel Mitchell is remembering all the good times he had with Coolio ... telling us the late rapper was super fun to hang out with because he was always full of good vibes and good stories.

The former Nickelodeon star joined "TMZ Live" Thursday where we asked him about his experiences with Coolio, who famously teamed up with Kel and Kenan Thompson back in the day for their show's theme song.

Kel says folks still ask him about the song, and he says Coolio brought the "magic" to the catchy track.

TMZ broke the story ... Coolio died Wednesday at a friend's house in Los Angeles.

Law enforcement sources tell us first responders performed CPR for 45 minutes in a frantic effort to revive him.

Kel says Coolio was like everyone's favorite uncle ... because when he showed up at the function, it was a sure sign of a good time.

Coolio performed his last show ever last week in Texas with Vanilla Ice, who says he's mourning his late friend's death.

Vanilla Ice tells TMZ he couldn't sleep Wednesday night after learning Coolio died, and he woke up Thursday morning "still in shock and freaking out."

Coolio and Ice go way back, and they were touring together for the past 6 years on the "I Love The 90s" show, including a stop last week in Cypress, TX which ended up being Coolio's last gig.

Vanilla Ice tells us Coolio came out onstage with him Friday night to freestyle during his set, and after the show, they hung out in Ice's dressing room with Coolio smiling and talking about life and seeming to be in great shape. The last thing Coolio said to Vanilla Ice ... "See you tomorrow, homie."

TMZ broke the story ... Coolio died Wednesday at a friend's house in downtown Los Angeles. Law enforcement sources tell us first responders performed CPR for 45 minutes in an effort to revive the rapper.

Vanilla Ice says he can't stop thinking about how last week's gig was Coolio's last performance ever ... and he's remembering Coolio as a legend whose legacy will live on through his music.

Ice adds ... "My heart goes out to all the family. I'm truly devastated. He was a great friend."

TMZ obtained video of Coolio's last performance, and folks who were there say he performed on stage for 45 minutes and was talking a lot to the crowd. We're told his voice seemed really raspy, but he didn't appear ill.

Sarah Jessica Parker had a lot of people concerned when she unexpectedly walked out of a gala in NYC ... and we've now learned she left to be by her dying stepfather's side in his final moments.

The Parker family tells TMZ ... Sarah's stepdad, Paul Giffin Forste, died unexpectedly Wednesday. We're told, he was surrounded by the love of his wife Barbara and his children, including SJP, who he's helped raise since she was young.

The "Sex and the City" star was in attendance at the beginning of Wednesday night's 10th Annual Fall Fashion Gala, but left without warning. Of course, her exit raised lots of eyebrows, but the family emergency was the reason why.

According to Page Six, those in the crowd were only told she had to leave because of a "devastating family situation."

The family's statement continues, "Paul will be remembered with the spirit of loving kindness which was his faith, his special delight in his 13 grandchildren, and his sustained belief in making the world a more charitable, tolerant, and beautiful place for all".

EMT's frantically tried to revive Coolio after his body was found in a downtown LA. home, but after 45 minutes of CPR he was pronounced dead.

TMZ broke the story ... Coolio was at a friend's home late Wednesday afternoon when he went to the bathroom. We're told he was in there for quite a while, and the friend became concerned and began calling for him. When Coolio didn't respond, the friend went inside the bathroom and found the rapper laying on the floor.

He called EMT's who quickly responded and saw no signs of life. They administered CPR for 3/4 of an hour before concluding it was futile.

Coolio's manager told us the 59-year-old rapper came down from Vegas, where he lives, to L.A. so he could either get or renew his passport.

The manager said there was some problem with getting the passport in L.A. and the 2 had talked on the phone about going down to San Diego to get the job done.

As for why he needed to go to the passport office ... he had shows scheduled in Germany this weekend.

The manager says he was getting ready to join Coolio when he got the call that he had collapsed in the bathroom.

As we reported, police did not find drugs or paraphernalia in the bathroom.